Meng Yu, PhD, has been named Roosevelt University’s Robert Miner Endowed Chair in Computer Science. He will assume this position on August 15, 2018.

Yu comes to Roosevelt from the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he has served as an associate professor since 2015. Prior to that, he was an associate professor at Virginia Commonwealth University and also held various teaching positions at Western Illinois University, Monmouth University, Pennsylvania State University and the University of Maryland.

Additionally, Yu has extensive experience teaching and working in China, having served as a faculty member at Nanjing University and at the National Key Laboratory for Novel Software Technology. While his research interests include systems and network security, visualization and security, and cloud computing, Yu’s primary research goal is to develop system software featuring increased security levels. His research has been supported by multiple funding agencies, including the National Science Foundation.

“The Miner endowment is meant to bring a national leader in the field to Roosevelt, and in Dr. Meng Yu, we have done just that,” said Bonnie Gunzenhauser, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “A specialist in computer security and network and distributed systems, Dr. Yu will make immediate contributions to our nationally-recognized Cyber and Information Security program, and will lead the charge to develop innovative, high-demand degree programs in a range of computing fields. We are thrilled to have him join the faculty as the Robert Miner Chair and the administrative leader of the department.”

In his new role, Yu will lead Roosevelt’s Department of Computer Science, Information Technology and Data Science. Degree programs offered in the department include bachelor’s and master’s programs in computer science, along with bachelor’s programs in data analytics, information technology, and cyber and information security. Roosevelt was recently designated a National Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency (NSA), and Yu’s expertise will allow him to develop innovative new curriculum in cybersecurity and other areas.

“I’m excited to help grow Roosevelt’s new Cyber and Information Security program, and I also see a lot of opportunity to help grow the department in general,” Yu said. “Chicago is a great city for students to study this rapidly expanding field and I look forward to working with faculty to create new, hands-on courses for Roosevelt students.”

Yu completed his master’s degree in computer science from Northeast University in China and earned his doctorate in computer science at Nanjing University. He also completed post-doctoral studies in cybersecurity at Pennsylvania State University and the University of Maryland.

In the mid-80s, Ron Kubit (Computer Science ’84) noticed that computers were taking off. Although he already had an accounting degree from the University of Dayton, Kubit "wasn't about to let the world pass him by," and so he enrolled in Roosevelt University's Computer Science program.